ABSTRACT
Literature on the association between pregnancy-induced hypertension and early neonatal
death is limited. The present case-control study consisted of 342 early neonatal deaths
and 523 frequency-matched controls. After controlling for other factors such as infant
sex, gravidity, maternal age, threatened abortion, and maternal anemia, moderate to
severe pregnancy-induced hypertension was associated with an increased risk of early
neonatal death with apparent dose-effect gradients (odds ratio = 1.8 for moderate
and 2.2 for severe). The biologic plausibility of pregnancy-induced hypertension as
a cause of neonatal mortality is discussed.